On October 29th, Professor Gareth Harrison, Bert Whittington Chair Professor of Electrical Power Engineering at the University of Edinburgh (UK), and Dr. Sun Wei, Distinguished Research Fellow, visited the Department of Electrical Engineering, Tsinghua University, and delivered academic reports respectively. Professor Harrison’s report was titled Accelerating Carbon Emission Reduction in Power Systems, while Dr. Sun’s report was themed Assessing Data Center Flexibility: Current Capabilities and Future Prospects. Attending the report session were Kang Chongqing, Dean of the Department of Electrical Engineering; Sun Kai, Vice Dean; and Guo Hongye, Associate Research Professor. The session was hosted by Guo Hongye, with over 20 postdoctoral researchers and graduate students from the department in attendance.
Report Session
Professor Guo Hongye presiding over the session
During the report session, Professor Gareth Harrison delved into the historical transformations of the UK power system in addressing climate change. He emphasized the integration of renewable energy and the profound impacts of new types of electrical loads on the system. Professor Harrison pointed out that future power systems will face a series of complex challenges, and it is crucial to achieve carbon emission reduction targets while maintaining safe and economical electricity supply.
Professor Harrison delivering his report
Dr. Sun Wei focused on the flexibility of data centers, analyzing their energy consumption pressure within the global energy system. He introduced a reinforcement learning framework for optimizing data center operations, aiming to balance carbon emission reduction and the maintenance of high service quality. Through case studies, Dr. Sun demonstrated the effectiveness of this framework in supporting low-carbon operations and enhancing the coordination between data centers and power systems, highlighting the significant role of data centers in future sustainable development.
Dr. Sun Wei delivering his report
After the reports, participating teachers and students engaged in discussions with the guests on issues such as the high penetration of new energy into power systems. At the end of the event, Professor Kang Chongqing and Professor Gareth Harrison held in-depth discussions on power systems and carbon emission reduction plans of both countries, exploring the challenges and opportunities in power system transformation for both nations.
Group photo
About the Speakers:
Professor Gareth Harrison is currently Bert Whittington Chair Professor of Electrical Power Engineering at the University of Edinburgh. He has held various administrative leadership positions in the School of Engineering and now serves as its Dean. His research focuses on power systems with high penetration of new energy, and he is renowned for applying meteorological modeling and optimization methods to the operation and planning of power networks. Currently, he is co-leading multiple projects funded by the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and Ofgem/Innovate UK, covering energy storage and power networks. He previously served as Deputy Director of the EPSRC UK Centre for Integrated Energy Systems (2016–2022) and was Principal Investigator of the EPSRC project on Adaptation and Resilience of Energy Systems (2012–2015), which studied the impact of climate change on the resilience of energy systems. Additionally, he has co-led numerous joint projects between the UK and the EU. Gareth Harrison is a Chartered Engineer in the UK and a Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).
Dr. Sun Wei obtained his Ph.D. in Power Systems Engineering from the University of Edinburgh and is currently a Principal Distinguished Research Fellow in Integrated Energy Systems appointed by the university president. His research focuses on the planning and operation of smart energy systems, with an emphasis on the development and application of new optimization methods. He has served as a key researcher at the UK Centre for Integrated Energy Systems and participated in multiple EPSRC-funded projects related to energy storage, energy system resilience, and green hydrogen. Dr. Sun is also a Chartered Engineer in the UK.
